The Effectiveness Of Play Way Method On Academic Performance Of Primary School Pupils

1.1 Background of the Study

Play is defined as the spontaneous activity of children. It is an activity that is meant for the purpose of recreation or entertainment. Play is also a natural part of child?s life with many opportunities to engage in and work with peers. To define play as an activity that gives the child pleasure cannot just suffice, but it also fulfills the needs of the child. 

George Benard Shaw said ?we do not stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing?. 

Play according to advance learners? dictionary is to act in a manner such that one has fun and to also engage in activity expressly for the purpose of recreation or entertainment. The importance of play in the life of a child cannot be overemphasized. This is because play promotes children?s development, learning, creativity and independence. It also keeps children healthy and active. Active children become active adult. It fosters social inclusion. It helps children understand the people and places in their lives learn about their environment and develop a sense of community. Play allows children to find out about themselves their abilities and interest. It is therapeutic which assist children to deal with difficult or painful situations, such as emotional stress or medical treatments. Above all, it gives children the chance to let off steam and have fun.

Education is acquiring new knowledge, skills and desirable change in the life of children. The strategy of acquiring the latter is given optimum emphasis and concern because it eases the acquaintance of such knowledge and skill. Play way method in teaching and learning is a strategy that involves the spirit of play in all educational instruction. It emphasizes the spirit of freedom, spontaneity and enjoyment introduced in all school work. It equally lays emphasis on the child, rather than on the subject-matter. Play way method or strategy is described as a method where children learn through recreation and entertainment. Fredrick Froebel (1782-1852) develops the kindergarten and is also considered as the inventor of play way method of teaching. He opined the essence of childhood is to have endless opportunity for play.  Jean Piaget states that the way children form their own concepts through experience, assimilate existing concepts such as cultural value, norms, and beliefs from adults and further create and develop their own concept as they mature toward adulthood.

Play way method of teaching makes it possible for learners to give free reins to their thoughts and express same in creative language, thus paving the way of meaningful education. Other advantages of the play way method are that of having free knowledge from the preserves of the elites few given a greater number of people access to education and personal development. The importance of the concept formation in learning process should not be treated with a wave of hand. It helps the child to be bound psychologically with his family even when outside the home, thereby making the learning environment a familiar-place which naturally would have been strange to him. He expresses himself easily in his play way method of learning. It is expected that this familiar environment will facilitated the learning process.

Teaching or learning using play way method is not just about recreation and entertainment, but it provides opportunities for teachers and pupils to develop their own ideas and interest and to set up stimulating and appropriate learning environment. Learning through play way method allows pupils to create opportunities to make choices and decisions, develop thinking skills and personal capabilities which provide practical, interactive and enjoyable play experience. In using play way method during teaching, pupils are encouraged to think, do and review for themselves and reflect on practice. It allows employing a wide range of teaching strategies, language development for effective learning among the pupils and encourages sharing and demonstrating learning. The effectiveness of play way method in achieving educational objectives cannot be successful without having a good knowledge of the what, why, where, who and how things are done when using the method. Play way method is natural, enjoyable way of promoting learning across all areas of the curriculum. It is about enjoying learning, developing imagination, creativity and natural curiosity, learning in a safe, secure and happy environment, developing skills and capabilities through a range of experience, making things etc. but it is not a separate subject, what you do as a time filler, only about the result, just playing or something you do when you are not working.

Play way method is used in teaching because it is natural and enjoyable way of promoting learning across all areas of curriculum since it develops the disposition to learn, self-esteem, self-confidence, independence, curiosity, creativity, self-expression, autonomy, concentration etc. it encourages teacher to make learning enjoyable, make learning relevant, involves pupils in the planning process, consider the holistic development of the pupil, be imaginative/creative, and monitor progress of the pupils. In the other hand it encourages pupils to enjoy learning, be informed and make responsible decision, manage their learning, take some responsibility for their learning and transfer learning to real life situation. Play way method can be used both at language and literacy lesson, mathematics /numeracy, science, arts, physical education, during personal development and mutual understanding. Not only in the school environment, it?s also used at home, outdoor/school grounds, halls, share learning areas, local areas or places of interest. Also, while using the play way method, the pupils, school community, teachers, parent and local community in which the school is located has something to contribute for the effective success of the method.

The effectiveness of play way method can be seen when pupils demonstrate what they have learnt through drawings, poems, recounts description, mapping, diagrams/charts, making booklets, explanation to others, think, share, drama, role play, presentation, assemblies etc.

Play way method in teaching allows for the teacher to evaluate the activity of the play itself. This can be done through individual, group or whole classroom discussions, through ongoing obstructive observation, by asking pupils to communicate their thinking in a variety of ways, by observing behaviours such as concentration, perseverance, through response to prompt/key question or by setting task which require children to use certain skills or apply ideas. During lesson, where play way method is applied the evaluation is to assess the skills and personal capabilities of the planners?, learning intentions and success criteria, the learning/play environment language, language disposition, active involvement of pupils, the teaching strategies, the process used in the completion of task, appropriateness of task and resource and enjoyment.

Since play way method in teaching and learning process is not only meant for entertainment and recreation, the need to observe how the method is conducted become paramount. The observation should be based on agreed learning intentions and success criteria. The following should be considered by the teacher:

What pupils say which includes the appropriateness of the language? What pupils do-that is either they are actively engaged in the learning or not. How pupils do it. This means observing the willingness in doing activities during play. Play way method enhances expression which is learning by doing contrary to learning by rote, it is observed that play way method can help pupils to learn different subjects. In primary schools, there are different types of play which pupils engage to develop their skills ranging from free play and guided play which involved adult. Therefore, Vygotsky (1978) viewed play as a means for socially assisted learning and scaffolding. In scaffolding, the adult assists the child to perform at a higher level than would be possible without adult support. When the child is able to perform alone, the adult gradually withdraws and lets the child act independently. This kind of adult intervention helps children expand their knowledge and learning during play. Adult scaffolding during play encourages children to learn self-regulation, cooperation, memory, language use, and literacy (Craig & Dunn, 2009)

Since play itself appears to be important as far as child?s development is concern, using play way method in teaching and learning becomes more important. The conscious use of play way method in teaching and learning process promote the development and learning ability of each pupil in which should be valued in our primary school to foster academic achievement. Play and enjoyment in learning in all its various forms stimulates the imagination, insight, communication and the ability to cooperate and solve problems.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

The use of traditional method of teaching has predominantly occupied the teaching environment as Play is regarded as an activity to be done out of learning activities. The use of play way method in teaching creates lack of seriousness in the pupils even when the teacher means business.

Though, good academic foundation at primary school lays a background in the entire educational life of an individual. The way and manner pupils are prepared in primary school influences pupils academic achievements in secondary school. These are some of the reasons  why this research work tend to investigate the effectiveness of play way method in influencing pupils academic performance in primary school through examining the presence of play tools/materials, types of play and time allocated for play.

Students are expected to move to secondary school after successful completion of primary school. But it is observed that their performance in secondary schools is below expectation. This lack of performance in secondary school coupled with minimum materials on play in our primary school facilitate this research work to establish the effects of play on pupils academic performance in Gwale local government area of Kano state.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The study was guided by the following objectives:

i. Establish the effect of play on academic performance of primary school

Pupils in Gwale local government area. 

ii. Examine gender difference in academic performance of primary school pupils taught with play way method in Gwale local government Area.

1.4 Research Questions

The study will be guided by the following research questions:

i. Is there any significant effect of play on academic performance of primary school pupils in Gwale local government?

ii. Is there any significant difference in academic performance between the Male and the Female of primary school pupils taught with play way method in Gwale local government Area?

1.5 Research Hypothesis

i. There is no significant difference in academic performance between pupils? taught with play way method and those taught with traditional method among primary school pupils in Gwale Local Government Area. 

ii. There is no any significant difference in academic performance between the Male and the Female of primary school taught with play way method in Gwale local Government Area.

1.6 Significance of the Study

The findings of this study may be used to mobilize parents and stakeholders to participate in improving play and children?s academic performance. 

This study may equally be useful to curriculum implementers and planners to improve academic performance in pre-schools by improving on the play materials, types of play and teaching time. 

Also, the policy makers may identify areas of concern and address them in the best interest of the child. 

More so, the school management and administration may also benefit from the study in that the findings might challenge them to change the methodology of delivering content. 

The teacher may also use the research findings to explore and find out what types of play resources, types of play and time might be more effective when used to build up a good academic performance.

1.7 Scope and Limitation

The research is aimed to be carried out in Gwale local government of Kano state. To be specific, primary one pupils of Al-Umnaj International School will be used in the course of this research. All other classes that are not primary one are delimited. This is because the availability of research materials, time and financial constraints will be hindrance for the research to be carried out in the whole of Gwale Local Government Area.